God’s Judgment

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 24:10-17. David was convicted in his heart once the census was done to count the fighting men. David prayed to God and acknowledged his sin and asked God to forgive him. Even when we repent of our sins, there are still consequences for the actions that we take.

The Word of the LORD came to Gad telling him to tell David that he had three choices for his punishment. He was to choose which one he preferred. These were his choices:

1) Seven years of famine

2) Three months of fleeing from his enemies

3) Three days of pestilence

Seven years was a long time for a famine. David had already spent a lot of time fleeing from his enemy. David preferred to be at God’s mercy than to fall into the hands of man. If you were in David’s place, which one would you have chosen?

David chose the three days of pestilence over the other two choices he was given. The LORD honored David’s choice and sent pestilence to the land. As a result of this pestilence seventy thousand men died. A lot of people whose lives were cut short because of this situation.

When the angel was about to destroy Jerusalem the LORD stopped him and told him that was enough.

The angel of the LORD was by the threshing place of Araunah, the Jebusite. When David saw the angel who smote the people, he spoke to the LORD saying, “I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.”

Even though David repented and took responsibility for his actions, there was a price to pay for his sin. His people suffered the consequences for his decisions. He didn’t want the people to suffer any more. He begged the LORD to spare them and to bring the punishment only against him and his father’s house.

Sometimes we don’t realize how many people are affected by our actions. When we choose to do the wrong things there is a ripple effect. When we make wrong choices it not only affects us and our families, but it can affect others as well.

We prefer to think of God as a loving God, and He is. But there is also the other side of God, who is the judge over good and evil. He knows the intents of our hearts.

We all sin and come short of the glory of God. Sin is like a weight or a chain around our necks dragging us down. Thank God for Jesus who took our sin on Himself at the cross.

Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 24:10-17

10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying,
12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days’ pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.
14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.
15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.
16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.

Things to think about:

• About what was David convicted?
• Who did the LORD send to tell David what his choices were?
• What did David choose? Why?
• How do our actions affect others?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture we see that David became convicted and repented of his sin. We also see that his decisions affected a lot of people. Help us to make right decisions. Help us to realize that if we sin or make wrong decisions it not only affects us, but affects others as well. Help us to search our hearts and repent of our sins. Forgive us of the times we have made wrong decisions. Give us wisdom to make right choices. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Christian Music Video: “Break Every Chain”

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The Book of Malachi: A Message from the LORD is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman. Malachi was considered to be a “Messenger of the LORD.” God delivered His message to the people of Israel through Malachi. Malachi was one of the twelve prophets from the Old Testament. The book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament of the Bible.

The Book of Malachi: A Message from the LORD includes eight Daily Bible Reading Lessons. Each lesson contains a brief commentary from the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scriptures, a few questions for discussion or contemplation, and a prayer for the day to go along with the lesson. This book is great for a personal daily devotional or for a group Bible study.

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Deborah H. Bateman

Deborah H. Bateman encourages other believers in their walk with Jesus Christ through Bible study. She is a Christian Author, Blogger, Website Designer, and Book Publishing Coach. She is the Founder of Christian Daily Resources a Christian online ministry dedicated to "Sharing God's Word". Deborah is the author of more than thirty books in the Daily Bible Reading Series and one book about self-publishing called: Self-Publishing Simplified: How to Publish a Book on Kindle. Deborah shares Daily Bible Reading lessons here on her blog at http://DeborahHBateman.com/blog Her website: Christian Daily Resources is at http://ChristianDailyResources.com She shares a Daily Bible Verse on her blog Bible Verse Tweet at http://www.bibleversetweet.com/. Deborah has a family favorite recipe blog called Recipe for Life at http://deborah-bateman.blogspot.com. She invites you to check them out and subscribe to the ones you like.